Title: Building Structural integrity
Post by: Snoring Rhino on October 09, 2011, 09:38:46 pm
Anyone know anything about this?
I have had a fairly substantial water leak from a shower pump, unnoticed for a few months probably, in my the base of my airing cupboard (its a bungalow and I thought the water was coming down from the top of the chimney as it has in other properties of a similar design across the road) which used to house the main heating system with a chimney above it.
The dampness has permeated about 3 feet along the base wall blowing the plaster and soaking the wood work around the door frame and skirting.
My main concern is if this may have damaged the structural strength of the base of the chimney as the external part of it is a fair few tons of Purbeck Stone potentially making it top heavy and unstable if he base has been weaked.
Anybodies field?
I have had a fairly substantial water leak from a shower pump, unnoticed for a few months probably, in my the base of my airing cupboard (its a bungalow and I thought the water was coming down from the top of the chimney as it has in other properties of a similar design across the road) which used to house the main heating system with a chimney above it.
The dampness has permeated about 3 feet along the base wall blowing the plaster and soaking the wood work around the door frame and skirting.
My main concern is if this may have damaged the structural strength of the base of the chimney as the external part of it is a fair few tons of Purbeck Stone potentially making it top heavy and unstable if he base has been weaked.
Anybodies field?
Title: Re: Building Structural integrity
Post by: DelBoy on October 10, 2011, 01:22:28 pm
Presumably the base of the chimney is brick or concrete block. Water ingress itself into these materials will not affect the structure of the material, especially over a relatively small timeframe. The problems would start if the water in the brick/block froze, but this probably hasn't happened - if it had, the face of the bricks would show distress.
If it has only been for a few months, you will be ok - even with the surrounding timber. Dry it all out (obviously stop the leak first!!) - preferebly with a dehumidifier around. Plaster is very susceptible to water damage, so you might have a bit of patching to do, followed by some re-decoration, but in that timeframe, I can't envisage any serious damage. Make sure everything is completely dry though - not just surface dry.
Del
If it has only been for a few months, you will be ok - even with the surrounding timber. Dry it all out (obviously stop the leak first!!) - preferebly with a dehumidifier around. Plaster is very susceptible to water damage, so you might have a bit of patching to do, followed by some re-decoration, but in that timeframe, I can't envisage any serious damage. Make sure everything is completely dry though - not just surface dry.
Del
